|

EUR/USD: Continued rally unlikely; options indicate

  • EUR/USD's put options draw stronger demand than calls. 
  • Investors position for a pullback as Germany announces hard lockdown. 

EUR/USD's options market has flipped bearish, suggesting low odds of a continued rally in the short-term. 

The one-month risk reversal, which measures the spread between the premium for calls and puts, has dropped to -0.175 – the lowest level since Nov. 2 – having peaked at 0.35 on Dec. 3, according to data source Reuters. 

In other words, the EUR puts or bearish bets are now drawing higher demand (premium) than the calls. Investors seem to be taking hedges against potential decline ahead of the year's end. 

EUR/USD is currently trading largely unchanged on the day at 1.2133. The currency pair looks to be consolidating in a 1.2060-1.2175 range after breaking out of its $1.16-$1.20 four-month trading band, as noted by Marc Chandler, Chief Market Strategist at Bannockburn Global Forex, in his latest blog post. 

Macro factors such as coronavirus vaccine optimism, expectations for a global economic recovery in 2021, the fading influence of trade protectionism, economic nationalism, and the European Union's recent agreement on the 2021 budget favor further gains in the EUR. The dollar side of the story looks weak as well, as noted by Morgan Stanley. 

However, Germany's decision to impose a hard lockdown during the Christmas holidays and potential weak PMIs could play spoilsport in the short-term. The Eurozone, German PMI numbers are scheduled for release this week. 

Technical levels

EUR/USD

Overview
Today last price1.2133
Today Daily Change0.0016
Today Daily Change %0.13
Today daily open1.2117
 
Trends
Daily SMA201.1988
Daily SMA501.1859
Daily SMA1001.183
Daily SMA2001.1457
 
Levels
Previous Daily High1.2163
Previous Daily Low1.2105
Previous Weekly High1.2166
Previous Weekly Low1.2059
Previous Monthly High1.2003
Previous Monthly Low1.1603
Daily Fibonacci 38.2%1.2127
Daily Fibonacci 61.8%1.2141
Daily Pivot Point S11.2094
Daily Pivot Point S21.2071
Daily Pivot Point S31.2036
Daily Pivot Point R11.2152
Daily Pivot Point R21.2186
Daily Pivot Point R31.221

Author

Omkar Godbole

Omkar Godbole

FXStreet Contributor

Omkar Godbole, editor and analyst, joined FXStreet after four years as a research analyst at several Indian brokerage companies.

More from Omkar Godbole
Share:

Editor's Picks

AUD/USD remains depressed near 0.6950 after RBA minutes

AUD/USD attracts follow-through selling during Tuesday’s Asian session, looking to extend the overnight rejection slide from 0.7000, or a two-week top, following the release of RBA meeting Minutes. The US Dollar retains a bullish undertone near its highest level since April 2025 as energy-driven inflation risks keep December Fed rate hike bets firmly on the table. Adding to this, geopolitical risks further underpin the safe-haven USD.

USD/JPY extends retreat below 158.50 as intervention risks loom

USD/JPY is dropping below 158.50 in the Asian session on Tuesday, snapping a two-day winning streak and pulling back from an over two-week top touched the previous day, despite Japan's soft PPI inflation print. Bulls turn cautious amid speculation that authorities will step in to prop up the Japanese Yen, which, in turn, weighs on the pair.

Gold bulls seem hesitant below $4,200 as hawkish Fed offset USD weakness

Gold retains a mildly positive bias though it remains capped below the $4,200 mark and the top boundary of a two-week-old trading range. The US Dollar retreats from its highest level since April 2025 amid some profit-taking, offering support to the precious metal. However, the US Federal Reserve's hawkish stance and escalating Middle East conflicts could limit deeper losses for the safe-haven buck, keeping a lid on the commodity and warranting some caution for aggressive bulls.

Solana reclaims 50-day EMA amid tokenization expansion

Solana (SOL) trades above $107 on Tuesday, reclaiming the 50-day EMA after closing below it the previous day. Meanwhile, Solana’s tokenization expansion and the upcoming listing of Hong Kong’s second spot Solana Exchange Traded Fund highlight growing institutional interest.

Dollar corrects as markets watch bank earnings
The US Dollar remains broadly strong but is now correcting, with a possible retest of the breakout zone around 102 on the Dollar Index. Equity markets are showing a mixed picture: the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are weaker, while blue-chip indices such as the Dow Jones and DAX are moving higher.
Has Bitcoin really escaped the macro forces it was built to fight?
Over 17 years ago, Satoshi Nakamoto designed Bitcoin (BTC) on the back of a global financial crisis as an alternative to the global monetary system outside the control of central banks, governments and traditional intermediaries. This raises a key question: has Bitcoin really become independent of the macroeconomic forces it was built to challenge?